Undoubtedly, the garden beekeeping trend is growing. However, there are two misconceptions of this trend. First, it is a common misconception that bees can take care of themselves. Second, that by purchasing a hive you are helping increase local bee populations. Especially in environments like Guanacaste, where resources are limited, beekeeping might not be the right thing. Beekeeping refers mostly to honeybees, which could increase the number of honeybees in an area and causing the wild bees to be displaced, or outcompeted. If you do decide to start your journey into beekeeping, a top priority should always be maintaining healthy colonies and a safe environment for you and your neighbors.
What can you do, without venturing into the world of beekeeping?
On the other hand, we have come up with two very basic and low-maintenance options anyone can do to protect and help bee communities, from honeybees to wild pollinators.
Housing
- Protect your local environment. A major cause of bee decline is the loss of habitat. Not all bees live in hives, some like to nestle underground.
- Include in your garden penetrable surfaces like larger flowerbeds with enough soil.
- Wild Bees like old tree stumps and plant stems as prime residency.
- Another great option is masonry walls that provide housing to the bees that prefer small tunnels.
Food Sources
- Your gardens are an essential habitat for all types of bees. By maximizing the potential of your outdoor space, you could be welcoming the bee community: honeybees and wild bees alike.
- Make sure to include in your landscaping all sorts of native plants and a variety of flowers rich in pollen and nectar to provide food sources for all the bee community.
- Let the weeds grow. Dandelions and other members of the Asteraceae family are a rich source of pollen and nectar.
